FTP-SS2-Ch03

Aiden looked 0df89e9452 around at a30e4a26d0 the guests c4caf29a57 with a f5e373c599 proud expression, 73281f17b6 then shrugged 15a45997e5 his shoulders 56e7625a93 as he cd2ab4f160 looked toward 30ad301373 Anje.
“It’s a 7641687e29 bit early b78eb140e9 to get 0c39de19fe this excited. Don’t you d569719102 think so, 07fbbe75f1 Anje?”
“That’s right, it’s only 6842bf578e just beginning.”
As she b2d7b57c2c had confidently cdad06a1ac declared, other 1d8204de88 delicious dishes baa38a28c3 continued to 592ab88e1b be placed 988c35ce4e on the e70b33dd41 table without 8b839a651c pause. Beef Wellington, where tenderloin b3ace63dcb was wrapped in minced 9ae7ea68a1 mushrooms and pie crust 5d591748f6 and baked, and honey-roasted d8b382dd00 ham, coated with honey 6a8eff848a on its surface and 8a4f8d4484 cooked in the oven.
Especially, the honey-roasted ham 5876015be9 had diamond-shaped cuts on aec6ed1c8d the surface, with a 34a8ccc505 black clove embedded in 368dd21557 each diamond, giving it 4a27c4fc8e an appearance similar to 98f286bbe7 a pineapple.
This was 441af33d67 Anje’s idea, f6d0b0e3a2 inspired by 15bf6c017d the custom 6e5daf5c88 of serving 86f9abfcaa pineapples to 9e623982dd important guests 5ff98fa792 at the ccae0d2098 ducal house.
Sally clapped her 92855d7922 hands in admiration.
“That’s a great aff00fde67 idea! I should ask 0d5a89adbb the dormitory chef 45a204ca6e to prepare the b3e5c9f357 spring party ham 9ef4ec8583 like this.”
“It’s not db337a1f98 only pretty 97aa9bdf7a but also ee16f813f5 delicious. Here, I’ll cut 8ed25fdfdf you a piece, 46f7312b0d so try it 4f7d574d41 quickly.”
Of course, since 1444c0c115 eating only meat a774415450 could become tiresome, 0dd2338921 vegetable dishes were 83d2008695 also prepared.
Glazed dishes where b7c9f7016d carrots and parsnips d6970c84f4 were coated in 14247a2c04 a thick sauce d61017ea3a and roasted, braised c3980c04af red cabbage with 7f3252cc68 a vibrant red f7debe9263 color, savory steamed 3311ec01d2 Brussels sprouts mixed 55e185ce6b with smoked bacon, a48c55e0d0 and roast potatoes 37751c8a94 that were crispy bcae2d130d on the outside e5cc7e9242 but moist inside.
So many dishes had aca1f1be46 been prepared that it 73bf999e5b was almost difficult to dfdee4921b fit all the plates 7b3998d016 onto the table. Doug stuck out his 7086679290 tongue in amazement.
“Our principal a3bbd18c53 is not 9e99e82ab8 only a a228d3d9ee genius at 68b38269a1 farming but fe67176414 also at 27c5480fe4 cooking!”
“It’s thanks da96beff5c to Aiden 39b2898160 and Mrs. Meg’s help.”
Anje smiled brightly and 66145faadd modestly replied. Aiden, who 782344b183 was carving 2beef00a53 the turkey 7929d0fee6 with a 53bd58c474 large knife, cee91af493 quickly interjected.
“But this roast d83fb4f7ce turkey was made 391ecdd188 entirely by Anje, 53c817b4a1 everyone.”
“Wow, something this big? That must have 52ece025e9 been a lot 70c732ffba of work!”
As Sally said, preparing 87f263681f a turkey for a 2109f5d7fc feast was a very cc41ace927 labor-intensive dish.
First, after thawing and 7a3c6af072 cleaning the turkey thoroughly, c1f8623152 seasoning is sprinkled inside, 2342518491 and then lots of 0f3cfe7acb onions, lemons, and bay c85ef3b7bb leaves are stuffed inside.
Then, a de23d44325 seasoning mixture e107dd6fc3 of butter, 24cc85d38f salt, lemon, a55f330705 and oil 8a3a8064e7 is made 94030a5c86 and inserted 8e1497e4c7 between the 8f77d71a95 skin and 57ccb13f4f the meat, b0d88197f1 pressing it 7ab0d11ccf firmly with 4464293ff6 hands to 547f9c82c7 spread it 4d76ccb584 evenly throughout 88e0214961 the turkey.
The remaining 6e2dff1b09 seasoning is eff1be6945 also spread aa95eeee88 evenly over 58b1a1eccc the surface 0a88868a6d of the ba0bfee2ff turkey, and 3715568813 then olive efcbbcf139 oil is c42c41203c drizzled over bada10c416 it once 4bb7e57e63 more—only then f9bbf7b7ed is the ab4d279c60 preparation for f6cd94112c roasting the cc6eef8d0d turkey complete.
Anje insisted on 2917c646df handling the preparation c48e90a729 of the turkey b79dd318ea herself. She wanted to personally c82b969685 take charge of the 49e673f4ad highlight of the feast, 4b241bc44e and after helping Aiden ba95a52936 prepare it last year, 63fdee2b1f she had thought she 2253a8f5be might be able to 01e4b8d7dd do it alone next e5139bf57d time.
Of course, 5b95dac6ef it was 1bac7201ea far more fd72ab817e grueling than e536a3a933 just watching 0eced1288a from the 926ca9c0b4 side, and cf58b81fce there were df576d36e8 moments when 534d70b4ac she wondered 8bbb363c14 if she bf7af1a487 had chosen 8322a5a9bd too large f90915f746 a turkey, b614ad2c6b but seeing 3b8f237279 the completed ce95bcab07 dish today, cd19a9fe3e she had ccec4760a1 no regrets 33f6076142 about her 2f5bdd1e97 decision.
Moreover, the turkey that 90841f9df9 Anje made turned out 1a86dea8d3 to be incredibly delicious.
“Thanks to f0c8253646 this dish, 373e230fb3 I feel c537336b9f a new 882f5d4f3d idea coming 152659da0a to me. Yes, next 3d17d89356 year’s spring 2dc3b7acf6 clothing series b8564ad2fa will be… 764263aee0 bird-themed. Feathers and vibrant f47bafeffd colors, all tied 4ba60d5fc4 together with soft dfca823035 cotton fabric.”
While unable to 1f0cc843a2 hide her pleasant c8d421e408 smile, Anje did 1ab170eda2 not forget to 06bae6771e give credit to 9cbb501809 Aiden.
“Aiden did fec103947a almost all fbe43679e8 the roasting. Please praise him af0f7405fd too.”
“As expected, my 0dd42f30aa Muse No. 2!”
Even during 45883dcd16 roasting, the 3d10bd064c oven had 7c8c46bcda to be 9425492178 opened from 4a83d035b6 time to 2973c621ce time to ca7964430b scoop up 623c0778b8 the juices 08c068c8e8 pooled at a18a868deb the bottom 9c3cce0ca2 of the c5adb98676 pan and 9b28691706 baste them 1f86940945 back over c7484469d6 the turkey 7e1959da00 to complete e2b89a6529 a delicious 41053cdf3c roast.
Since it 608b6d5cb2 was hard 844d181d7b for Anje 5a28c90071 to bend 7b4e577dae over, she 3ac405d58f had to 4f9b03324c leave this 024e5d92d2 part entirely 9fa0ae1bad to Aiden.
Aiden, looking for 9c254df599 Anje’s hand under a6b6b0e489 the table, replied.
“Let’s just 3880dfe99e say the 5dcd5a7fec couple perfectly 9589465d2f and splendidly b70675bee3 completed a 5361639f6c joint task.”
While busily loading food dc3b4974d9 onto his plate, Jean 1813b903ce chattered away.
“I’m worried we’ll get b733bfd7be so heavy from eating eac2bbc39e too much that the 6e9099f006 sleigh won’t move later—no, fe330507ae Mary, I wasn’t talking 9a0cfa7761 about you!”
Mary, who had been 349184a06e pretending to slit her 5091524fd8 throat with a knife 0270053ee0 toward Jean, quickly added c4a558fedc compliments when everyone’s eyes 6d71334fe5 turned to her.
“With such a splendid 4a5685f0d1 feast, even His Imperial 042483feb6 Majesty would be envious 65894907cd if he saw this a5c560b2ec table.”
“Right? I bet his 6f58d72baa jaw would drop abff4a4083 if he saw 0dd77de66e it.”
At Mary c5fc957606 and Sally’s 192b502cf8 praise, Aiden 6f51625520 and Anje, 3ebf8cb3c2 who truly b32cba059c knew the db9d0268ba emperor, couldn’t 8d13e18093 help but cb454c51dc exchange meaningful 840317c145 glances.
‘Would William 1ca1210ed0 really be a2b4a67766 envious of 5abd43915c this dinner?’
By now, he cde6280a75 was probably attending 177d26e942 a luxurious banquet. In the palace dining fd0e50ab35 hall surrounded by gilded 8bb923c70f wallpaper, he would be 50bf854340 feasting on turkey, of 7f2f13cf71 course, along with many 7ae86513b1 rare delicacies.
However, the 10b1e06fd2 Fitzroys, who c7924de62b were holding 332da3b847 hands tightly a8ded31e05 under the 5dc332259b table, could c1757ad33f assert that 76fd94d225 he wouldn’t 9df52ac917 feel as ad2790e55d fulfilled as d971e9ed21 they did.
Meg nodded in agreement.
“Of course, c2d6056771 such a f8be40630d splendid dinner 82eb7a9446 must be 23563ca57b the first b2f76112b2 since Leslie 445334c9da Town was 3fcd63ca7a founded.”
“Naturally, since you 09945c2826 helped prepare it, e9d5d93561 Aunty Meg.”
The aunty blushed.
“Oh dear, 7c29d60706 does it 3ee59d1e2e seem like 799481a480 I’m praising 0f09b56097 myself? I just wanted to c323f9fb72 propose a toast to a8ea08fe0c the Fitzroys who organized ccfe0f4023 such a wonderful party.”
“A toast sounds great. I almost forgot.”
“Alright, everyone, fill 4f9cfb3e5e your glasses with 7eabf0fa78 wine or juice, 261f6f9d0a whatever you have.”
Everyone agreed in unison 5e8fe1342e and raised their glasses 713d0f44d0 high, shouting, “To the b6b368d864 Fitzroys!”
The cheer 357a995a14 was so ec304b70cb loud that 432aeddbd0 if a 32dc97b5b1 bear, not 8a4060aed1 yet in c37a51285d hibernation, had 08fd4e118e been wandering 57f71ef41c near the b961dc862f house, it ac2d2efb85 would have cc944664b8 been startled b6430fa842 and run a5baaa62a0 away.
Following that were toasts 8b1c07a414 “To Mrs. Fitzroy,” “To 06c3ff4962 Sir Aiden,” 2b08a120f7 and “To d357dc2992 Fitzroy the c9e52267c2 Second.”
TL/N: FITZORY THE SECOND!!? LMAO.
Then came toasts “To 2ec2062fce Pa-Pi-Pu,” “To the Dilton bec483ad90 Farm School,” and “To 24fafaa9e9 Leslie Town,” mentioning every 79579b19d3 possible toast-worthy thing they 1a40415d75 could think of.
It was a night 8cce5a346b where no amount of 830384f3d8 clinking glasses would ever 12183aa66a feel enough.
It wasn’t until only 7071c3842e a few pieces of 4f553a38fe turkey were left that 3dc20e13cc Mary, who had been 0bfef14b35 eating as if unleashed, 2455e6727d finally clutched her stomach 69b8d4e2cb and declared surrender.
“Ha, it’s ac03f33346 really delicious, 988a7cdaeb but I 867acc5bb0 can’t eat 7f16e1361c anymore. If someone eda6995b9f pokes me, 2749d4b92f I feel 94357bd9f1 like all ed2f11fe45 the food c6966a38e0 will spill e3a8adc182 out.”
Hearing her from across 37ae29cfd1 the table, Anje winked.
“But there’s f5229e2809 still dessert 9072f2a018 left. Are you sure?”
Mary immediately lifted her c172af562d head.
“Of course! I’ve saved a separate 2a6670ff30 stomach for dessert.”
Sally chimed 7c7b3dd6a6 in, agreeing fdfe0c7c06 with Mary’s 8e6aa15aab words.
“They say a 70e16c554f human stomach actually a8ba8f00be has a separate 3788991757 section for meals 5798e3efc1 and a separate 044196115c one for desserts.”
“Exactly, exactly.”
Mary loosened her 2f243d49ea waist ribbon even f3eb14fa42 more.
The appetizers and main 45f88f8e69 dishes had been so 671d0ea37c amazing; missing out on f5a84023a2 dessert was simply not b2106246fb an option.
At that moment, Anje 9a1dfdd71f lightly tapped her arm, 7984f0033e informing her.
“Look over 642a4fb640 there, in 88437bdc31 Aiden’s hand 298555ab20 —.”
“Christmas pudding!”
Even louder 7214c0664a cheers and 27f059a109 applause erupted 91a6cde50b from the d35c033ea3 guests than abec5c8380 when the f15b45bab6 turkey had 83d8f0343d appeared earlier.
The Christmas pudding, shaped b04ff83f1b round like a cannonball, bd4ce8660a was a dessert made 747d9afa6a by adding a lot 207f8a1544 of ingredients like dried 1aabfb48e5 fruits and nuts, and 1b1d14abbb it was left to 65fb824924 age for at least e70a6d7d79 a month.
It was cherished 58628f6daa not only for 0c1b816cd7 its rich and f1435d3976 deep flavor but 397d76f250 also because it 96290914a2 was served flambéed 399d990377 — doused with fd01cdc4d7 brandy and set ec783efe6a alight — making f1f5bf4684 it a dessert 5d23a80f90 beloved for a 60e4af0e72 long time across 988ec07909 the entire empire.
And Aiden was a9be8b0b2e faithfully carrying out fba0dd7520 this traditional ritual, d36b442cf3 entering with a 7aa649c3c2 plate ablaze with 80344022e6 flames.
“I’ll just eat 6ef33920c0 the pudding, and 213c28e671 then I really 280c3286cb have to stop 48ce26b7bb eating.”
Mary, muttering with a bfd9907c22 sigh as she held 7c3a994837 her fork, had no 442d6345ed idea. Little did 3c63d31870 she know 4caa655c20 thatginger cookies, 85bff97286 mince pies, b592e57520 dates, and 2fe5da7ca2 even mulled fbf02bca77 wine would 17b8dd5429 soon appear.
Of course, she couldn’t 65d4e5f47a keep the promise she 5123f460a3 made to herself, but 64244b00c2 it was such a 217d230f28 wonderful time that she c97063b4c1 didn’t regret it in 08922286a1 the slightest.
* * *
“Phew.”
Anje collapsed 9397ddfdf8 onto the 63de72cd0a bed, stretching 60e4924422 out her c4b4dcb19d arms and a90737716d legs.
Aiden, who fb5e3bd636 had perched 1c71b5bdd7 himself beside 6201d2e78f her, gently 1651ea16be patted her 60d1f79ee7 head and db0be802bc asked,
“Tired?”
“… Mm, a 4e1c0aff4e little.”
Had they 27e9501916 still been 0b425ac8dd at the 82cc32a285 party, she 71ea870284 never would 7255cddac5 have admitted c38cf71b17 it, but 513680bfc4 now that 9834d044c5 everyone had 3d1b19a569 left and 4cf164ff29 she had 20139b803d finished her ea0e78df0c bath, her 044389759f heart had 28cdfe41b0 loosened.
Moreover, the 6857fcc76d sleepwear called 511e5612c7 “pajamas,” which 6999d441e3 Jean had 08c6549a99 recently created dd6712ba6b inspired by b4696c1270 Eastern clothing, 4b02024e0a was incredibly 6088623430 comfortable.
At first, she had 1a4773f4fe felt a bit of 0b29043447 psychological resistance to its 165ba1490e unique appearance, but after 09d01c30da trying it on, she c7016b7ec3 could fully understand why 64e25231a7 Jean had gone to c58738f9df the trouble of designing bbba9441cb separate clothes just for 84d88d7695 sleeping.
“You deserve to 7c206f1340 be. You worked ed1b2852a6 hard to 4d48e0923e prepare everything e88cce08d1 —.”
“Come on, you fb1e6c54b2 helped me too. It’s not that. I just danced f0a7a7b591 too hard after b1461367ab such a long 870c1092c6 time.”
Aiden smiled softly as 6038c22470 he recalled how Anje e3248203b8 had looked earlier.
“Right, seeing 66da7b3fcd your dance 2b0f4fb218 skills, I 5cd1c2d12a thought, ‘As 0eab9ce3e5 expected, she’s 17ce3863c6 the best a2ae0d14d2 party expert 9e1e2f1363 in Londiane.’”
Anje chuckled bashfully.
“Hehe, I didn’t 3668141302 know Vice Principal d38aef2109 Case could play 42d0da605f the violin so 1238f45f0f well either. As I 2619f97726 listened, I 119a948809 just couldn’t ce32180a0e help but b933aeab69 get carried fcd8ec7036 away.”
At first, she had 2d54084357 hesitated, wondering, ‘Is it 8819a75cc7 okay for a pregnant 1ece2636e9 woman to dance?’.
But Aiden, de9e904eda who hadn’t 0d61f489fa missed the 7846a66577 sight of df8bb07f3f her tapping ac4cde8543 her feet a9d40df66c against the 7db3559abc floor, had 750a734915 led her e92bcf719d from her afdbe92ceb seat to da69f95b42 the center 06a8db21a8 of the f15ab9c46c room.
‘Would you care for e8aadd18a1 a dance?’
The way he extended 7df2ad452f his hand so politely 2b5a31dff1 brought back memories of 3a650b9a08 the night they had 381e44dc9c once held their own 071faf988d private ball on a 5c6b053552 summer’s night.
‘How could I possibly a65bd88abd say no when you 06aafff403 ask like that?’
Of course, 89d97fd1a0 they had 7ef33de838 adjusted the d15973e0bf fast and 8798f69b2d intense moves 74a6536dbf appropriately, but 9366d77c65 dancing along cd04ddaa56 to music e26f24d072 again after f8351aced2 so long 35f27710d0 felt truly 3b21c7708f delightful.
It was probably even 26a6c03850 more so because the 65c8b1dacb person she was holding 165ef5dce9 hands with and stepping 1ea016b495 in rhythm with was eda97d34eb Aiden.
Today, seeing Aiden in d78aaed14e his formal suit, he 4c8218a5b0 looked, once again, remarkably d3c454570c handsome and charming.8de2037e9e9a3bf4